To all those who have the planet waves tuners..

[juliancs]

Are they the best there is? I'm looking (and the project gets even more espensive.... :help at getting some good locking tuners to help....keep my guitar in tune. I was looking around and it seems the Schaller M6's warmoth have on their site (they are NOT the top mount ones, right?) seem good, but then so do the Planet Waves. I have a few questions:
1. Is the string clipping thing a gimmick? Or are they actually good locking tuners?
2. Do you need a wrench to lock em on, or is hand tightness ok?
3. I don't quite understand how detuning the guitar would work - if it's cut me off then tuning, wouldn't the string pop out?

Cheers!
Julian

 

[ibob74]

1. No gimmick, they are great tuners.
2. Hand tightness works.
3. The string wraps around to post about 1/2 to 3/4 of a turn, plenty of string left to detune with. You could leave as much as you desite, but the point is to have less string around the post.

 

[jackthehack]

The only thing I'll ever use unless the build requires Klusons for the Fenderish factor... Well worth the extra $$$

 

[neilium]

Got them on three guitars. They work as advertised.

 

[juliancs]

Alright, thanks for your responses. I have only read good things about them. So once I clamp em down, I can detune and back up with no qualms?

 

[ibob74]

Planet Waves tuners will work like any other tuner for open/detuned tunings. With the advantage that your sting is clamped at the post. The excess string gets trimmed on the first 1/4 turn of the post, after that you are able to tune up or down just like any other tuner.

 

[jackthehack]

If you want to do a lot of detuning (I never do) you'd just need to pull less of the strings through the posts so you'd be let with more wrap on the posts to detune with; not an issue if you always remain in std. tuning.

 

[m4rk0]

Used them on 4 guitars, and like them better than all other locking tuners!  :icon_thumright:

 

[stubhead]

Does anybody know the biggest string (approx.) that will fit through a Planet Waves? Seven-string guitars work best with about a .064 or so on the low B, and it's hard to get even a .060 through the Schallers. Re-drilling a Schaller a bit larger seems dicey, cause of the locking part getting shrapnel'd.

 

[ibob74]

I've got PW's on a baritone - .072 works.

 

[neilium]

I've got PW's on a baritone - .072 works.

Me too.

 

[ibob74]

Does anybody know the biggest string (approx.) that will fit through a Planet Waves? Seven-string guitars work best with about a .064 or so on the low B, and it's hard to get even a .060 through the Schallers. Re-drilling a Schaller a bit larger seems dicey, cause of the locking part getting shrapnel'd.

I've only seen PW's sold in sets - where would you get the 7th one?

 

[TonyFlyingSquirrel]

Save your receipt for the set, email them a copy, most of the time from what I've heard, they'll send you the 7th one, just specify which side of the headstock you need.

 

[thumb55]

I'm a big Spertzal fan, is there a big difference between them and PW's?

 

[neilium]

I'm a big Spertzal fan, is there a big difference between them and PW's?

I like them both; I use both. I really like the fact that Sperzel has done away with the tiny screw. They both grip the string equally well; you have to give the PWs and extra twist on the high E.

I doubt you'll be disappointed by the PW's, but the difference is tiny, and I won't say which is better because I can't decide.

 

[Funky Phil]

Sperzels have 12:1 ratio, Planet Waves 18:1
Also good are Gotoh height adjustable locking "Kluson" type...(for 6 in line headstock) (15:1 ratio)

 

[m165]

Also reccomend the PW, but if you are like me and just getting started with all this and you think you may need  to check your setup, leave an extra twist on the strings first time as a bxxxx to get back on if you need to remove strings, I wasted 2 sets of new strings, you would think I figured it out the first time, :sign13: but I am learning.

 

[Wyliee]

When I first saw the PW tuners, I thought the string cutter was a gimmick. (Who doesn't have a pair of wire clippers in their kit???)  But the tuners felt substantial and I hadn't heard any complaints from our customers, so I tried a set on my strat.  And now I'm sold on them.  I'll definitely be using them on future builds.

 

[DocNrock]

I've got PW's on a baritone - .072 works.

Me too.

You two just sold me to try them.  My next project is a hollow mahogany strat with a wenge neck for ... 13's. 

 

[blue313]

+1 there, they're really nice.  I also give em a little extra slack before tightening the thumb screw during setup, but once its set up....changing strings a breeze.  It took about 80% of the hassles away.  I actually do it as much as I should now,  instead of just playin on dead ass strings till tomorrow...or payday...or my next parts order.